1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to data processing systems. More particularly, the invention relates to cryptographic encoded ticket issuing and collection systems for remote purchasers.
2. Description of Prior Art
Current distribution systems rely very heavily on the paper upon which tickets are printed. The assumption of the ticketing agents is that the ticket paper is very difficult to reproduce and, therefore, duplicate. The ticket collectors visually verify, upon receipt, the tickets for authenticity and then physically alter the tickets to prevent the re-use of the ticket. Such ticketing systems are extremely simple and work for situations with the following characteristics:
Reserved Seats (Prevents duplicates). PA1 Relatively Low Cost (Situations where ticket fraud is not a critical problem--in contrast to Airline tickets where fraud is a severe threat). PA1 Multiple ticket collectors. PA1 Offline ticket collection (No readily available, network computer system). PA1 1. A readily available distribution mechanism for the tickets. PA1 2. A system to produce a hard copy of the ticket. PA1 3. A system to authenticate the validity of the ticket. PA1 4. Optimally, a system to ensure that no duplicate tickets exist.
While the opportunity for smart cards and other ticket storage systems exist for ticketing systems, such systems add to the requirements of an information system to collect and process the card and like devices. In some environments this would be acceptable, but the ticket fraud situation in the United States does not lend itself to such systems. However, the increasing number of personal computers and PC kiosks suggest a new form of electronic ticket which is a hybrid between a completely electronic, smart card (or similar) ticket and current paper-based tickets produced by ticket agents. A hybrid system should have the following prerequisites:
Prior art related to ticket issuing systems includes the following:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,557,518 issued Sep. 17, 1996, discloses a system for open electronic commerce in which trusted agents establish cryptographically secure sessions to transfer money and goods.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,663,664 issued May 5, 1987, discloses an electronic ticket method in which a removable plug-in unit serves as a ticket after de-scrambling an electronic ticket transmitted in a video program.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,193,114 issued Mar. 11, 1980, discloses a ticket issuing system in which the names of desired destinations or a list of names of destinations are displayed on a video screen after keyboard entry of a desired destination. The destinations on the display are accompanied by a code number which permits an operator to definitively key the destination into the machine for the issuance of a ticket.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,032,946 issued Jun. 28, 1997, discloses an apparatus for selling betting tickets wherein the betting information recorded on original betting ticket may be altered by a processor in accordance with operator instructions and a new betting ticket containing altered betting information issued.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,322,614 issued Mar. 30, 1982, discloses a light weight, portable apparatus for rapidly reading continuously and sequentially a plurality of ticket records having specific data encoded thereon as tickets are removed individually from a supply magazine and conveyed along the prescribed path by a ticket feed assembly.
None of the prior art discloses a hybrid electronic ticket issuing system for mass purchases by remote users where the tickets are distributed electronically and include cypher code for authenticating the use of the tickets by a holder via portable terminals decrypting, validating and recording the cipher coded tickets, the recorded ticket collection information subsequently checked for duplication by uploading to a host system.